Striped Popcorn Cat Snood Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction

This Striped Popcorn Cat Snood is a cozy little tube your cat can wear around the neck on chilly days, and it is a genuinely fun project for anyone who has mastered single crochet and wants to try a textured stitch. The design alternates bold navy and white stripes, with two rows of raised popcorn bumps sitting only in the white bands for a playful, eye-catching look. Worked in bulky wool, it comes together quickly and feels dense, warm, and soft against the fur. It slips easily over the head with no buttons or ties, so your cat stays comfortable while looking wonderfully dapper.

Materials Needed

• Yarn: Bulky weight (weight category 5) wool. Approximately 60 yd (55 m) navy (Color A) and 40 yd (37 m) white (Color B).
• Hook: 6.0 mm (US J-10) crochet hook.
• Notions: Stitch marker, tapestry needle for weaving in ends, and scissors.
• Finished size: Circumference 10" (25.5 cm), height 4" (10 cm).

Abbreviations

• ch – chain: make a loop of yarn and pull it through the loop on your hook.
• sl st – slip stitch: insert hook, yarn over, pull through both the stitch and the loop on your hook.
• sc – single crochet: insert hook into stitch, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops.
• popcorn – popcorn stitch: work 5 dc (double crochet) into the same stitch, remove hook, insert it into the first of those 5 dc, and pull the working loop through to close the group into a bump.
• dc – double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops.
• sts – stitches.
• rnd(s) – round(s).

Gauge

12 sts and 12 rnds = 4" (10 cm) in single crochet. To check, crochet a small swatch in sc and measure a 4" section; adjust your hook size if you have too many or too few stitches.

Tips Before You Start

• Use a stitch marker at the start of each round so you always know where to join and never lose your place.
• Keep your popcorn stitches snug: pulling the closing loop firmly makes the bumps pop out clearly instead of blending into the fabric.
• Change colors on the last pull-through of the final stitch of a round so the join looks clean and the stripes stay crisp.
• Try the snood on your cat as you go; the 10" circumference fits most adult cats, but you can add or remove chains in multiples that keep the stitch count even.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Snood (worked in joined rounds)

Setup: With Color A, ch 30, join with sl st to first ch to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around, join with sl st to first sc (30 sts).

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Change to Color B.

Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in first 4 sts, popcorn in next st, [sc in next 4 sts, popcorn in next st] 5 times, join (30 sts, 6 popcorns).

Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Change to Color A.

Rnds 6-7: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Change to Color B.

Rnd 8: Ch 1, sc in first st, popcorn in next st, [sc in next 4 sts, popcorn in next st] 5 times, sc in last 4 sts, join (30 sts, 6 popcorns).

Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Change to Color A.

Rnds 10-11: Ch 1, sc in each st around, join (30 sts).

Fasten off.

Assembly and Finishing

There is no seaming to do: the snood is worked in one continuous tube, so once the final round is complete you simply fasten off. Weave in all yarn ends on the wrong side of the fabric with your tapestry needle, tucking them behind stitches so they stay hidden. Block lightly by misting with water and shaping the tube into an even cylinder, then let it dry flat; this helps the popcorn bumps stand out and evens the stripes.

Pro Tips and Variations

• Swap the navy and white for any two contrasting colors, or use a self-striping bulky yarn for a different striped effect.
• Add a third popcorn row in a middle navy band for extra texture, spacing the bumps evenly around the 30 stitches.
• For a smaller kitten size, begin with a shorter starting chain (for example 24 chains) and keep the popcorn spacing in multiples of 5 stitches.